Stick form water color painting unit



Sept. 29, 1964 J. HAAS 3,150,987

STICK FORM WATER COLOR PAINTING UNIT Filed Aug. 4, 1961 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,150,937 STECK FGRM WATER C OLfll-l PAINTHNG Ulllli .iustin Haas, Cincinnati, Qliio, assignor, by inesne assignments, to Kenner Products (Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 130,728 4 Claims. (Cl. res-27 This invention relates to sticks for marking or painting. It is contemplated that these sticks will be sold in sets of varying colors for use by children in place of water color paints. However, nothing precludes the use of these paint sticks for more artistic work. This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 779,441, filed December 10, 1958, now abandoned.

For many years past, children on reaching school age have been taught to paint with water color paints and in many cases children for amusement have colored black and white drawings with water color paints. The use of the paint sticks of the present invention requires less skill than the use of water color paints. Also, the paint sticks of this invention are less messy than water color paints and are less apt to stain the clothing of the children or deface the environment.

The present invention has two aspects, one of which is physical and the other chemical. One concept is to enclose the paint stick itself in a plastic envelope from which the end of the paint stick can be ejected by pressure on the other end of the envelope. The chemical aspect of the invention is the provision of a paint stick which is constituted by harmless non-toxic ingredients which are sufficiently soft to mark paper, yet which provide a deposit on the paper which hardens almost immediately to provide a film which is relatively dry or solid. Further, the film on the paper is of a composition which provides a visually pleasing surface and any desired intensity of color. Further, the use of the paint sticks of this invention permits the employment of artistic technique which is not readily achieved with ordinary media. One color can be put over another color almost immediately for the purpose of color blending without the top color disturbing the bottom color physically or masking it necessarily.

The invention will be better understood in relation to the following drawing in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the paint stick, PlGURE 2 is a side elevation of the paint stick, FlGURE 3 is a side elevation of the paint stick illustrating how the stick itself is protruded from the carrier tube, and FlGURE 4 is a side elevation partly in section to show the shape of the inner end of the paint stick.

in he drawings the paint stick and its housing are shown as circular in cross section, but the cross section may be oval, elliptical, or rectangular, as desired. As shown in the drawing, the paint stick carrier or housing is shown as closed at one end only, but in order to increase the shelf life of the product, it may be desirable to seal both ends of the housing in the same manner.

In the drawing a plastic tube 1 is sealed at one end by a seam Z. The tube may be relatively flexible polyethylene and the seam may be consummated by application of heat to provide the desired closure. As disclosed, the paint stick itself 3 is blunt at the exposed end 4 and tapered at the inner end 5 to fit the end of the tube so that the stick may be pushed from the housing tube by pres sure of the fingers as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The chemical composition of the paint stick is relatively simple. The film-forming ingredient is a soap. Preferably, the color is a water soluble FD&C color 1 FDttrC is the trade designation for colors which have been approved by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Administration.

and the soap is plasticized by a mixture of polyhydric alcohol and water. The soao is a soda soap of a fatty acid having a titre of at least 50 and preferably 55 or above. The color may be any one of the water soluble colors which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Preferably, the colors should be harmless if ingested, but FDSLC colors limited for external use only may be used if desired. The polyhydric alcohol may be glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, or any other glycol of substantially similiar solvent properties in a three phase system constituted by soap, polyhydric alcohol, and water. Propylene glycol is particularly recommended because ethylene glycol has toxic characteristics and most of the polyglycols are too still or sticky.

The dyestuff which is used in these paint sticks has very litle effect upon the physical properties of the product because it is water soluble and is present in very small percentage. The ratio of soap, polyhydric alcohol, and water must necessarily be adjusted in relation to the exact composition and titre of the soap and the specific characteristics of the polyhydric alcohhol. The point is to provide a three phase system which produces a solid stick which is more or less like a lipstick or crayon, which is sulficiently soft to rub oil on ordinary paper and deposit a reasonably thick or opaque film on the paper. Further, the film must dry rather rapidly on the paper, but not become brittle after drying. it may be said that the polyhydric alcohol and the moisture which it retains plasticize the soap to provide a dry but flexible film. Prior to the application of the film to the paper the polyhydric alcohol water pasticize the soap to provide a stick which is relatively dry but soft; dry enough to be dry to the touch but soft enough to rub on under slight pressure.

After the composition is filmed on paper, the Water may disappear as a result of evaporation or absorption by the paper or both. In order to provide the desired type of film on the paper, it is necessary to control the ratio of soap to plasticizer, that is glycol, within relatively narrow limits. In the preferred composition of this invention, the ratio of soap to glycol is of the order of l to 4, that is in the neighborhood of 20%. This percentage relationship should be maintained without deviation either way of more than about 5%. Otherwise expressed, the ratio of soap to plasticizer should not be less than one part soap to five parts plasticizer or greater than one part soap to three parts plasticizer.

It is well recognized that both fatty acid soaps and polyhydric alcohols are hydroscopic and tend to hold moisture. This is the case with the paint stick of this invention. The sticks do not dry out rapidly in stick form, but when filmed on paper or other similar media, the film dries quickly. The retention of moisture in the stick form is accentuated by the plastic housing or holder and, as mentioned, both ends of the housing or tube may be sealed to give the product a long shelf life.

Esthetieally, the color effect which can be obtained with the paint sticks of this invention is intermediate the effects of water color paints and oil paints. The soap and dye combine to provide a colored surface which is more intense than a water color. Further, the soap obscures the texture of the paper and itself provides a very pleasing relatively flat finish. The color efliects which can be obtained by the skillful use of the paint sticks of this invention are distinctively diiferent than the color effects which can be obtained from water colors, oil paints,

crayons, or other commonly used painting or marking materials.

3 A typical formula of my paint stick is as follows:

Pounds Fatty acid (55 titre) 15.00 Sodium hydroxide 2.14 Propylene glycol 60.75 Color solution 19.11 Water 3.00

Typical color solution formulae are as follows:

Red Color Solution FD&C Red #1 (Ponceau SX) 585.05 grns.

FDdzC Red #3 (Erythrosine) 82.80 gms. FD&C Red #2 (Amaranth) 16.31 gms. Water Ca. 2 gal. 11 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 02.

Yellow Color Solution FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) 271.80 gms. Water Ca. 2 gal. 25 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 oz.

Blue Color Solution FD&C Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue PCP) 350.00 gms. Water Ca. 2 gal. 22 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 oz.

Brown Color Solution FD&C Red (Ponceau SX) 196.72 gms. FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) 121.80 gms. FD&C Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow PCP) 81.40 grns. FD&C Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue FCF) 42.81 grns. Water Ca. 2 gal. 19 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 oz.

Green Color Solution FD&C Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue PCP 203.85 gms. FDSzC Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) 254.81 gms. Water Ca. 2 gal. 17 /2 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 oz.

Pink Color Solution FD&C Red #4 (Ponceau SX) 27.18 gms. FD&C Red #3 (Erytbrosine) 2.718 gms. Water Ca. 2 gal. 34 oz.

2 gal. 35.16 oz.

In making the paint stick, the sodium hydroxide is dissolved in the water and the solution is utilized to saponify the fatty acid after which the propylene glycol and the color solution are added. The mixing operation is conducted at a temperature in excess of 175 F. in order to render the mixture fluid. The rods are then cast or extruded and permitted to cool. The tapered ends of the rods may be formed in the casting operation if the rods are made by casting or formed by heat and pressure if an extruding operation is utilized to make the rods.

In the foregoing formula, the amount of caustic is not quite sufiicient to neutralize all of the fatty acid. Approximately 5% of the fatty acid remains unneutralized. Soaps of this type are usually called super-fatted soaps. It is believed to be preferable in the practice of the present invention to use super-fatted soaps which contain from 1 to 5% free fatty acid.

The FD&C colors are considered preferable because they are water soluble, relatively inexpensive, readily available, of good color tone, and utterly harmless if ingested. However, any color which can be evenly distributed throughout the paint stick may be used including the conventional soap dyes, oil soluble dyes, and even All inorganic pigments. The factor which determines the usability of any color pigment or dyestuff is its susceptibility to being evenly and uniformly distributed throughout the three phase solution which constitutes the rod. While many color dyes and pigments may be made to work, the FD&C water soluble colors are recommended because all of them are easily incorporated in the solution.

The recommended polyhydric alcohols are propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, although other glycols and glycerin may be used.

The stearic acid which is used in the practice of this invention should be a good grade of commercial stearic acid having a titre in the general range of 50 to 65. These commercial stearic acids are all mixtures of stearic, palmitic, and oleic acids, the exact ratio depending upon the starting material and the techniques utilized by the manufacturer. Among commercial grades of stearic acid are products containing as much as stearic acid and other products containing as much as 70% palmitic acid. In general, the oleic acid content does not substantially succeed 10%. All of these commercial stearic acids may be used in the practice of this invention, the exact composition of the commercial stearic acid used in the foregoing formula is l% myristic acid, 50% palmitic acid, 48% stearic acid, and 1% oleic acid. If particularly high titre acids are used, the percentage used in the formula is slightly reduced to provide the desired consistency of the paint stick. Also, hydrogenated fish oil may be used. If glycerin is substituted for propylene glycol in the foregoing formula, the amount of stearic acid used should be reduced by about 1 /2% The point is that the fatty acid must be a solid high titre fatty acid which provides a hard soda soap. When combined in the three phase system with the polyhydric alcohol and water, the system should retain the structural form in which it is molded up to a temperature of the order of F., that is, a temperature above any temperature to which the product will be subjected in storage or in shipment. The exact composition of the fatty acids is not critical provided their titre be high enough to assure the desired rigidity of the rod and the desired melting point of the solution.

The tubing or housing in which the paint sticks of this invention are packaged is preferably constituted by a thin polyethylene tube. However, plastics other than polyethylene may be used provided they have the requisite properties.

The paint sticks of this invention are rather brittle and can be easily broken. The polyethylene tubing on the other hand is resilient and may be bent. Hence, together, the paint stick and tube constitute a marking instrumentality which has sufiicient rigidity not to break as a result of normal use.

The paint stick in the tube is of substantially the same diameter so that the paint stick is frictionally engaged by the inner wall of the tube. Hence, the paint stick does not readily fall out of the tube. However, the consistency of the paint stick is such that it is self-lubricating and can be readily protruded from the tube by pressure on the sealed end of the tube or may be pushed back into the tube when not in use. When the paint stick is used for marking or painting, the holding pressure of the fingers which is exerted radially of the tube and paint stick, is sufiicient to hold the paint stick in an operative position.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A marking stick consisting of a rod which is relatively rigid up to temperatures of the order of 160 B, said rod essentially consisting of a three phase solution the constituting components of which are the sodium soap of a fatty acid having a titre above 50, a polyhydric alcohol and water, the amount of polyhydricalcohol being three to five times the weight of the soap but greater than the amount of soap and water combined, and a coloring material evenly distributed therethrough the rod, the exact proportioning of the soap, polyhydric alcohol and water being such that the rod may be filmed on a medium such as paper by slight pressure and friction, but the film after deposition dries to a hardness greater than that of the rod.

2. A marking stick consisting of a rod which is relatively rigid up to temperatures of the order of 160 F., said rod essentially consisting of a three phase solution, the constituting components of which are the sodium soap of a fatty acid having a titre above 50, a polyhydric alcohol and water, the amount of polyhydric alcohol being greater than the amount of soap and water combined, but less than five times the amount of the soap, a water soluble coloring material dissolved in the aqueous component of the solution, the exact proportioning of the soap, polyhydric alcohol and Water being such that the rod may be filmed on a medium such as paper by slight pressure and friction, but the film after deposition dries to a hardness greater than that of the rod.

3. A set of coloring sticks consisting of a plurality of rods which are relatively rigid up to temperatures of the order of 160 F., said rods essentially consisting of a three phase solution the constituting components of which are the sodium soap of a fatty acid having a titre above 50, a polyhydric alcohol and water, the amount of polyhydric alcohol being three to five times the weight of the soap but greater than the amount of soap and Water combined, and coloring materials evenly distributed throughout the rods, the coloring material in each of said rods consisting of a diiferent material so that each of said rods produces a different color, the exact proportioning of the soap, polyhydric alcohol and Water being such that the rods may be filmed on a medium such as paper by slight pressure and friction but the film after deposition dries to a hardness greater than that of the rods.

4. A set of coloring sticks consisting of a plurality of rods which are relatively rigid up to temperatures of the order of 160 B, said rods essentially consisting of a three phase solution, the constituting components of which are the sodium soap of a fatty acid having a titre above 50, a polyhydric alcohol and water, the amount of polyhydric alcohol being greater than the amount of soap and water combined, but less than five times the amount of the soap, a water soluble coloring material dissolved in the aqueous component of the solution, the coloring material in each of said plurality of rods consisting of different constituents so that each of said rods will produce a different color, the exact proportioning of the soap, polyhydric alcohol and water being such that the rods may be filmed on a medium such as paper by slight pressure and friction, but the film after deposition dries to a hardness greater than that of the rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,465,470 Omohnndro Mar. 29, 1949 2,835,604 Aronberg May 20, 1958 2,853,422 Jarrett Sept. 23, 1958 2,857,315 Teller Oct. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 682,877 France Oct. 7, 1929 1,096,474 France June 21, 1955 760,559 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1956 535,998 Canada Jan. 22, 1957 

1. A MARKING STICK CONSISTING OF A ROD WHICH IS RELATIVELY RIGID UP TO TEMPERATURES OF THE ORDER OF 160*F., SAID ROD ESSENTIALLY CONSISTING OF A THREE PHASE SOLUTION THE CONSTITUTING COMPONENTS OF WHICH ARE THE SODIUM SOAP OF A FATTY ACID HAVING A TITRE ABOVE 50, A POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOL AND WATER, THE AMOUNT OF POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOL BEING THREE TO FIVE TIMES WEIGHT OF THE SOAP BUT GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF SOAP AND WATER COMBINED, AND A COLORING MATERIAL EVENLY DISTRIBUTED THERETHROUGH THE ROD, THE EXACT PROPORTIONING OF THE SOAP, POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOL AND WATER BEING SUCH THAT THE ROD MAY BE FILMED ON A MEDIUM SUCH AS PAPER BY SLIGHT PRESSURE AND FRICTION, BUT THE FILM AFTER DEPOSITION DRIES TO A HARDNESS GREATER THAN THAT OF THE ROD. 